Iconic Kenny Dalglish has urged Alfredo Morelos to exit the Rangers last chance saloon and fight for his Ibrox career.
The 26-year-old was dumped before the stunning triumph over PSV which secured a return to the Champions League group stage for the first time in 12 years. But manager Gio van Bronckhorst has offered an olive branch with more talks planned with the club's record European goalscorer set for next week.
Morelos' banishment came in the wake of his red card against Hibernian but the Dutchman insists there is a route back for the striker if he wishes to seize it. Dalglish has lavished praise on Van Bronckhorst's expert handling of the situation amid Morelos missing Saturday's 4-0 win over Ross County due to suspension. And he has told the Colombia international there is no wiggle room left after his latest Rangers misdemeanour.
Speaking to the Sunday Post, he said: "The Dutchman was put on the spot by Alfredo Morelos.
"And you have to say Giovanni came through that situation with flying colours. The Colombian was rightly given a straight red card against Hibs at Easter Road, and that was quickly followed by his exclusion from the squad to face PSV.
"It was a decision that most people didn’t see coming. But Giovanni explained his reasons behind it, and claimed Morelos wasn’t fit enough, and had an attitude that didn’t reach the required standards. The senior players in the Rangers squad were fully in favour of their manager’s call. I’m not privy to what was going on behind the dressing-room door, but I would imagine that some of the players might have been getting fed-up with Alfredo’s antics.
"When that happens, the manager needs to take action. Otherwise it snowballs, and can end up beyond his control. The manager can’t allow disruption, and needs to address a problem to save himself. He needs to be on the front foot, and to be decisive.
"Giovanni certainly made a huge call – and it worked. He had the backing of the dressing room, and Rangers got the result they needed in Eindhoven. They went into the PSV game with just Antonio Colak as a central striker for the make-or-break £40-million Champions League tie.
"It would have been better for Rangers to have Morelos on the bench, ready to come on and do his bit if required, even if it was for just 15 or 20 minutes. But he ruined it for himself, and it’s not the first time he has faced internal disciplinary action. He now needs to make sure this is the last time, or his Rangers career will be over.
"If Alfredo doesn’t want to knuckle down at Ibrox, then he needs to move on. If he does want to stay and fight for a place, he needs to get it together quickly. That will be beneficial to Rangers, and also to the player if he is looking to get a move, and get a club he feels that his talent deserves.
"Without his Colombian striker, Giovanni got his team to the top table of the Champions League. It was a fantastic achievement."
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